The UK Marine Protected Areas Centre
The virtual UK Marine Protected Areas Centre was launched at the conference 'Towards a coherent network of Marine Protected Areas' held on 2-4th October 2007 in Scarborough, Yorkshire.
The virtual UK MPA Centre will act as a resource for information and news on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the UK (including the Crown Dependencies of the Channel Isles and Isle of Man). This website will hold factual information about MPAs in the United Kingdom, their designations, habitats, species, and activities. It will provide current news, research and activities on MPAs in addition to linking to existing websites of individual European Marine Sites (a type of MPA), other MPAs in the UK and to partner websites. The website will also draw together resources that will help to build capacity amongst UK MPAs practitioners and facilitate sharing information, good practice and learning.
The Marine Protected Areas Centre is being set up in collaboration with a wide range of organisations that are involved in Marine Protected Areas including MPA managers/project officers, statutory nature conservation agencies, NGOs, inshore fisheries and Conservation managers (SFCs), the Sea Fish Industry Authority, members of marine industries, research institutions, government agencies and consultancies.
The UK Marine Protected Areas Centre project is still in the very early stages of development and this website will continue to evolve. If you would like to be involved or require further information then please contact us at info@ukmpas.org.uk.